I Am a Dancer
by Elizabeth C Snyder
Summary: The story of a young girl on a quest to be the best dancer in the nation though she has none of the needed skills.
1. Chapter 1

_**Dislcaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter, the characters or the locations of the Harry Potter series. They belong to JK Rowling, Scholastic and any other legal copyright holders._

_**Author's Notes:** This is an older series I posted elsewhere, I hope you enjoy. It isn't my usual pairing or even my usual style but I hope it came out well anyway._

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I almost did not pass the trials for a dancer; I almost failed the tests miserably. But, when I passed...I was jubilant. All my life I had trained to become a dancer and to almost lose that chance because I was not good enough was nothing short of shameful. Now though, I had passed. It took me a few tries and I was running out of attempts. But, finally I had passed the evaluations. I am Mikimo DePayonette and I am a dancer.

As a dancer, I really was not very graceful at all. When I was young I'd been known as a klutz in my hometown of Payon, even in a hunting town I was the least poised. I am still not sure why I thought a clumsy girl from Payon could be a dancer. I'd made it but I knew I would never be much if I could not find a solution to my lack of grace. You can't really overcome being inelegant though, and I was going to be famous. Very famous.

When I was young, Remi always teased me about being graceful. Or, my lack of grace, really. And, that was how I got the solution I needed. Once, we had gotten in trouble with the local authorities at the Comodo Fair. I got us right back out of trouble when I spoke with them. Remi thought I had a gift for charming people. That was when I knew the answer. I was a dancer. But, we didn't just danced, we entertained.

I almost did not pass thr trials for a dancer. But, I was a dancer and I was going to be known by everyone. I was going to be allowed to dance throughout the land though law prohibited it. 


	2. Chapter 2

_**Dislcaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter, the characters or the locations of the Harry Potter series. They belong to JK Rowling, Scholastic and any other legal copyright holders._

_**Author's Notes:** This is an older series I posted elsewhere, I hope you enjoy. It isn't my usual pairing or even my usual style but I hope it came out well anyway._

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My friends and I set out shortly after my test. Calan, a priest from Morroc. She had settled there so she could bring the Gods to the savage lands far from the capital, on the edges of the kingdom. A missionary. But, unlike most priests she did not see the harm in dance and loved to watch the dancers perform. Her hair was silky and pale blonde, her eyes green and her smile was always soft and patient. She had such grace and she could have been a dancer if the path of priest did not fit her so perfectly.

Remi was a childhood friend from my home in Payon. We had played in the archer games every year in the village when we were children. He'd left for the islands a few years earlier than I had, I was still a little girl then. When I came to the islands to enter dancer training, we reunited and spent most of our freetime together. He sought me out and took me through the island many times. Once, he even took me to Jawaii to spy on the newlyweds.

We all wanted to celebrate my success at the trials, of course. They wanted to see my new job in action. So I danced...badly. I had no songs and I stumbled over my own two feet, waving my arms in an awkward kind of flail; it wasn't much of a show and dancers were supposed to be able to charm everyone with their grace. So much for that. My friends sat down and drank some ale as I thrashed about aimlessly. I'm sure the alcohol was the only reason they clapped. I wished Remi would have accompanied me, he already knew a few songs as a bard.

Partway through my dancing some strange creatures attacked us off Comodo Island. With my newly acquired whip as my weapon...a gift from the dance school, my bard friend Remi and I set to defend ourselves. Our friend Calan, stood behind the two of us to heal and assist the both of us should we need support.

Quickly, we were surrounded by disgusting, slithering creatures that gave off a high-pitched sort of hiss that made me cringe. They were vicious, snapping at our ankles, they seemed strong to me though my comrades did not appear to have any trouble fighting off the monsters at their feet. Perhaps I should have gone back to my bow and arrow instead of my new whip but I was just so proud to have gotten it as a gift for passing my test. I hit one with my whip and ten more came at me. Remi stayed by my side but for the most part he let me defeat them myself. The monsters had overcome me and Cal could not deal the heals fast enough. But soon, the next thing I knew, the monsters fell one by one. Remi stood by my side, posed with his bow and arrow at the ready and a fierce grimace situated on his face.

We'd made it through a battle but there were more creatures approaching through the swamps. Thinking quickly, I gave Remi a small grin and took off in a sprint. Though I couldn't see it, I knew Remi had given Calan a broad grin before taking off after me in a chase. Calan followed hurriedly behind, cautiously trailing after us and with a hand on her staff. She did not wish to fight but I knew if she had to, Calan would quickly put an end to the fight. She was so powerful.

Once we were in the next land and safely far from the monsters, I ran towards Remi and gave him a tackling hug, kissing his cheek and ruffling his hair. Calan beamed indulgently at me and I gave her an enthusiastic hug as well before sitting on the rocks close by. "I made it, I'm a dancer now! And, did you see those creepy looking things?" I babbled excitedly as they both sat on the ground, watching my face as I blathered on endlessly. "These must be those monsters we've been hearing about! Are they the same all over the kingdom? They're disgusting! I hope I don't have to try and dance while they attack all the time! Can you imagine?! I can't even dance without them attacking!" I continued to chatter on, barely stopping for a breath as both Calan and Remi grinned at me as they gazed on.

As I finished, I noticed surreptitiously that they were both enraptured as if in a trance. Moments after I'd finished speaking they both slowly come out of the spell, blinking and smiling contentedly. Calan was first to emerge the trance and soon her brow furrowed in thought but she still smiled on. Remi had come to his senses last but not completely, I think. Once I'd finished my stories he stealthily made his way nearer the rock I was perched on. Raising an eyebrow, I stretched a hand over my head with a yawn and when I brought it back down. Carefully, I ruffled his hair and stood. "We should camp." I suggested to Calan. As she nodded, I gave Remi a light kick in the leg and commanded him to set up camp. He quickly complied and I gave a light frown, expecting him to at least tease me about now being too graceful to help. 


	3. Chapter 3

_**Dislcaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter, the characters or the locations of the Harry Potter series. They belong to JK Rowling, Scholastic and any other legal copyright holders._

_**Author's Notes:** This is an older series I posted elsewhere, I hope you enjoy. It isn't my usual pairing or even my usual style but I hope it came out well anyway._

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The morning came with a cool breeze that made me shiver in my scarce dancing garb. It was no wonder most dancers spent their time on the beaches of Comodo, where it was warm save a morning breeze. The sun was just rising and the sky was covered with a pale, pink light as day broke. Calan beside me stretched on her sleeping mat and I stood to roll my own dewy mat. "Its too cold in the mornings here, I can't wait to get back to the warm mornings in Payon." I grumbled unhappily, putting my mat down nearby and picking up a stick. Idly, I poked the fire and watched as sparks shot into the air. They seemed to dance gracefully, I thought with slight bitterness.

With a sigh, I glanced at both Calan and Remi laying asleep and grabbed my blanket roughly. I threw the blanket over my shoulders, starting off into the woods. The people of Prontera said the monsters everyone was seeing lately were sent from the Gods to punish people who did not obey the laws. The people in the capital were always a bit loopy, I thought...tainted by the control the church held there. They didn't even allow dancers in the city a few years ago, now dancers were allowed to travel but never stay for long. The laws were getting lax and maybe they were sent by the Gods to show everyone the repeal of their laws was not appreciated.

Maybe I shouldn't even be dancing at all. The capital doesn't allow it and neither do many of the neighboring cities. I am not very good at it either, I'm just so clumsy!

As I bent to pick up a rock, I saw a fish made of bones. The scales that were visible were blue and murky, the eyes glowing. I knew it was undead and as a priest, Calan would have been better suited to take care of it. But, she was back at camp and I was alone. For a moment it stared at me, its sharp teeth seeming to flash as though I could see the hunger in them. After standing in fear only a few seconds, I snapped my whip. A nasty, unbleeding gash was left. Its dry insides were exposed. My scream at the sight was high-pitched and full of terror.

Before I knew it, arrows rained down on the monster from behind me. It was enough to snap me out of my shocked daze. Again and again my whip struck the creature, accompanied by Remi's arrows. "Keep hitting it Miki!" He shouted over the screech of the undead fish. I listened to his command and whipped it as hard as I could. My eyes were closed tightly. I couldn't bear to watch it be hit or look at the dry wounds covering its body.

Together, it didn't take long for the monster to fall. When its body disappeared scales that stank of rotten flesh were left in its place but beneath them, something shimmered. I leant forward and carefully sifted through the stinky scales. My search revealed a sparkling blue gem and an amethyst. I pocketed the amethyst and tossed the blue gem to Calan who had arrived quietly during the battle. Only I overthrew and she had to look through the brush to find it. Once she did, we would be able to use it and warp to the nearest village of Morroc. There we could get a teleport from the Kafra services. 


End file.
